


Looking For You

by Lxie



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Desert, M/M, Reincarnation, beach, birthday fic for Ellie!, klance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-11
Updated: 2017-09-11
Packaged: 2018-12-26 16:26:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12062742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lxie/pseuds/Lxie
Summary: All of his life Lance was looking for something. Something he knew would make his world make sense. He thought it might be in the desert.It was. But what he didn't realize that it was looking for him too.





	Looking For You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ciuucalata](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ciuucalata/gifts).



> Happy birthday Ellie!!!

If you asked Lance what he believed in he would say anything. There were no cuts, not what ifs, just the inborn belief that anything is possible. You can fly? Great, have a parachute handy. You believe in a higher power? Good for you bud, keep doing what you do. People have past lives? You bet that is something he believes in.

In fact, that is something that he is certain in. From his past lives he knows that’s where he gets his love of pizza, space, mermaids, and—his one true love—

The desert.

For years he has loved the desert. The vastness, the stark beauty, and the complete and utter _possibility_ of it. There is something about that endless terrain that calls to him. The cold, starry nights that allow for clear stargazing. The peaceful quiet punctuated by the subtle noise of the wildlife.

There was something out there that he needed to see.

Which is why he’s out in the middle of the desert, tent pitched behind him, fire out, staring out at the endless sky through a telescope. As he focuses on the distant stars and glowing bodies of faraway planets he doesn’t notice the slight rumble of a hoverbike steadily getting closer.

He gazes into the vast darkness, wondering about the possibilities of outside life, ancient civilizations that are too shy to come visit, or advanced empires ready to share their cultures with them. A streak of light darts across the sky, a fading light that disappeared as fast as it came.

Lance smiles and closes his eyes, wishing for something he never thought he needed before.

The loud buzzing of a hoverbike was loud enough to capture his attention. Turning from his telescope he watches the biker, helmet encompassing his head, lean forward and rev the engine. The machine jumped before going even faster, aiming for a rock outcropping.

His heart jumps in his chest as he anticipates what the rider will do, either to jump it or some fancy maneuver to avoid it. His eyes wide and heart thumping in secondary adrenaline, but a feeling of calm settles on his shoulders. Some unknown force assuring him that the motorist would be fine.

He watches as the rider hoists on the handlebars easily making the jump over the rock formation; hand high in the air. He lands with practiced ease, making a wide turn to do it again when he notices his audience of one. Head bobbing back in surprise as he sees the witness to his stunt, hands fumbling with the controls as the machine stutters and bucks under him, throwing him off. The bike itself flips backward with too much momentum and no weight to balance it, landing upended almost on top of the rider.

Lance abandons his post, rushing over to the fallen rider, whose groaning was audible as he struggles to push himself off his back.

“Hey, man,” Lance starts as he ran to the guy’s side. “Are you okay?” He holds out a hand for the motorcyclist to grab onto. He does, pulling until he was on his feet and brushing off the red dust that clung to his black leather jacket.

“’M fine. Just startled me. I didn’t realize anyone was out here.” He grasps either side of his helmet and pulls it off.

Lance’s heart stutters in his chest and he swallows the sudden lump in his throat. The man before him is breathtaking. The cosmos are inky dark but shining with celestial bodies, illuminating the man before him with gentle blue light. His ruffled black hair is askew from his helmet, dark indigo eyes that matched the desert sky at sunset, pink lips that twist into a sheepish smile as he extends his hand to Lance. Who really should stop gawking and shake the hand in front of him.

He clasps the gloved hand in front of him with a still-awestruck smile. “The name’s Lance. Didn’t mean to startle you but that was a pretty sick move there.”

Those lips grew until it was a small, but genuine, smile. “Keith. Thanks, I don’t normally crash like that but people aren’t usually out here.”

It occurs to him he’s still holding Keith’s hand. He snatches it back and runs it through his hair before returning it to his jacket pocket. He answers the unasked question. “Yeah, I really wanted to come to the desert, always wanted to. Without the light pollution you can see pretty much everything.”

Keith nodded. “I get it. It’s why I’m out here so often. You go fast enough or jump high enough you feel like you can touch the stars.” His eyes shine like the stars he wants to touch. He stuffs his hands into his leather jacket and turns to the side, seeing something that Lance couldn’t. “I really want to see the ocean though. I feel like something’s waiting for me there.”

“You should go then! I felt the same with the desert and here I am.” Lance looks around him, the endlessness of it, like everything went on forever. “It’s beautiful. The ocean is pretty too, and the beaches. To be honest though, in my most humble opinion, the most beautiful one is—“

“Varadero.” They both finish.

Lance blinks at him and points at him. “Ho-how did you know what I was going to say?”

Keith looks at him with widened eyes, surprised at himself. His brow furrows a little bit, just enough for a small line to form. “I’m, I’m not sure. I just felt that that was the answer.”

Lance coughs into his fist; face hot for no reason. “Well, it was a pretty good guess.”

Keith chuckles, “I guess. Well,” He gestured with his thumb to the overturned bike behind him. “I should probably get going. But it was nice meeting you, Lance.”

“Yeah, yeah, man. It was nice meeting you too.” For some reason, he clasps the hand in front of him and instead of shaking it he pulled the unsuspecting man into one of those manly bro hugs. Hands snug between their bodies and an instinctive reaction has him patting Keith on the back.

Letting him go Keith smiles and walks over to his bike. Righting it he gets on to drive away, but not before waving goodbye before he was too small to see.

-

Lance walks down a familiar boardwalk, smiling and waving at people who remember him from when he was just _this_ tall.

To him, visiting home was always a warm welcome. People who missed him making sure to ask about his life, how was his mother, what he’s doing with that fancy degree of his, and playing him with free food. He laughs it all off and heads to the beach. The one that isn’t crowded by tourists. The one with cerulean water, clear and warm. The sun-bleached sand so fine it feels like silk in-between his toes. The harsh sun beating overhead in the clear blue sky only dissuaded by a few cumulus clouds.

He picks up the few pieces of trash that made their way on shore, reminding himself to bring a bag to pick up the pile in the next few hours. Soaking in the warmth of the sun and breathing in the salty air into his lungs he just lets himself _be._ Let himself live in the moment, to appreciate this life that the universe has given him.

He fulfilled his dream of going to the desert, and while it felt that piece in him feels a little less empty, he knows that there’s more waiting for him somewhere. Something more he knows can be added to his life. He knows that he can’t force fate but that doesn’t mean he can’t be a little impatient in the meantime.

He looks up to see someone down the beach. Not a local, taken from that he doesn’t recognize them. Red swim trunks low on his hips, hands in the pockets, staring at the ocean. The ocean breeze whipping the man’s little black ponytail around. Walking closer Lance realizes that he _does_ recognize him. Looking slightly different than head to toe in black leather during a chilly desert night.

He waves as he approaches. “Hey! What are you doing here?”

Keith turned around, eyes wide before relaxing and smiling wide. He waves back, less dramatic but nonetheless enthusiastic. “Well, I thought I would visit the most beautiful beach. What are _you_ doing here?”

Lance shrugs. “Hometown. Visiting the family. Did you find what you were looking for?”

Keith looks around him, eyes softening at the distant line where the sky meets the ocean. He looks back over at Lance and tilts his head. “Maybe…” He moves deeper so the saltwater lapped at his knees. “Did you?”

Lance closes his eyes and turns his face to the sun, the rays soaking into his bones. He takes a deep breath the salty air and a hint of dry desert filling his lungs. He looks over back at Keith. “Yeah, I think so.”

They fall into a companionable silence, wading through the clear sea before drying off on the warm sand and doing it all over again until the sky pinkened and purpled. The shade so close to Keith’s eyes but not quite the same hue as the desert sunsets.

A few stars dotted the pink and purple, the colors giving away to indigo and midnight. Lance looks over at Keith who was rolling up his towel, compelled to say _something_. Something that would make the other man stay for even a few more minutes.

Lance worries his bottom lip, a little fidgety as he tries to think of something. When Keith was done he looks at him, mouth opened before closing again and shaking his head. He smiles at Lance. “It was nice seeing you, Lance. If you’re ever in the desert again hit me up.”

“Wait, Keith,” Next thing he knew he had Keith’s wrist in a loose hold. “Would you…” He swallows and tries again. “Do you like Cuban food?”

Keith’s mouth quirks up. “As much as I like other foods.”

“Cool, cool, uh, would you like to have dinner with me and my family? No pressure or anything but it’s been a while since they fed someone and I think they’d really like you. And hey, it’s free food?”

Keith threw his head back and laughed. Again, breathtaking. Framed by stars and a pink-purple-blue sky, the symphony of the ocean serenading them in that moment, laughing, eyes scrunched up in mirth, his neck displayed calling for someone to kiss it. Lance could feel his breath get caught in his chest, making his heart ache.

“…Is that a yes?”

Keith laughed again and nodded through his giggles. “That’s a yes.”

Lance felt something slot into that empty sliver in him, something in there locked into place as Keith twined their fingers together; letting the Cuban man lead him to his family.

 

Looking back on these moments and you asked what Lance believed him he would respond with anything. He believes in the impossible. In life outside of Earth, in giant flying robots, in quiet moments with his loved ones. He believed in the serene desert night, the warmth of the Cuban sun. He believed in the stars, he believed in sunsets. He believed that in his past life he loved pizza, mermaids, space, the desert, the ocean, and—his one true love—

Keith Kogane.


End file.
